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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Rafa Benitez has picked out one current Liverpool player he wishes he could have had in his 2008/09 title-chasing team, and it may be a surprising choice for some.
What’s been said?
Benitez admits that the level of the current Liverpool squad is above any team he managed whilst at Anfield, as last season’s points tally of 97 indicates, although like Jurgen Klopp the Spaniard did lead the club to a second-place finish and a Champions League trophy, albeit not in the same season.
Liverpool finished four points short of Manchester United’s 90 point total in 2009 despite beating the Red Devils home and away.
Interestingly, despite only conceding 27 goals in the Premier League that season, Benitez picked out a defender when asked which player he would take from the current Liverpool side.
In a Q&A for The Athletic, he said: “Van Dijk, he would help. Not because the others are not good enough but because in this position he is maybe the best at the moment.
“We had [Fernando] Torres and [Steven] Gerrard so we had lots of good attacking players, but as centre backs, although I was really pleased with my players, Van Dijk is maybe playing at another level now.”
It is a more understandable choice when one considers Liverpool finished as the league’s highest goal-scorers that year with 77 goals but drew 11 times that season, including games against Wigan away and Hull at home.
Has Benitez made the correct choice?
Benitez has built up a reputation in England as being a defensive-minded manager, but in each of his six seasons in charge on Merseyside Liverpool never conceded the least of any team, and therefore van Dijk seems like a suitable option for the 59-year-old to pick.
The Dutchman has not only improved the current Liverpool defence but he has been a great leader for the squad, and as soon as he arrived Liverpool’s attitude and performances became that of a top-level team, as evidenced by their achievements last season.
Check out fan reaction to Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal in the video below…
In 2008/09 Liverpool had a similar figure in Jamie Carragher, who featured in every league match, but Benitez lacked a reliable partner to play alongside him – with Sami Hyppia and Daniel Agger rotating – and that is where a player such as van Dijk would have benefited the team.
Despite that, it is impossible to ignore the impact a player like Mo Salah would likely have had on that Liverpool side – the threat last season’s joint-Golden Boot winner would have provided from the wing would likely have given Liverpool the extra edge they needed to find those four points to win the title.
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